Drag Racer Magazine - Hangin' With A Legend

Hangin' With A Legend
A Memorable Day at Snake Racing

Written by Randy Fish

To any warm-blooded American drag racing addict, a day behind the scenes with Don Prudhomme at Snake Racing is better than being a chocoholic who gets the keys to the Hershey factory. The Snake built an incredible career that went from the early '60s all the way to the Final Strike Tour, which ran throughout the 1994 season. Along the way, Prudhomme became one of the most respected personalities the sport has ever known. Even the most casual fan knew that Don "The Snake" Prudhomme was synonymous with the sport of drag racing. His early relationships with people like Roland Leong, Keith Black, Lil John Buttera, and Tom "The Mongoo$e" McEwen have proven to be the foundations for his legacy.

Among the countless win lights at match races and national events, Prudhomme collected four consecutive NHRA championships, putting a veritable stranglehold on the 1975, '76, '77, and '78 seasons. And at the conclusion of his aforementioned Final Strike Tour, Snake had amassed an impressive NHRA national event tally of 14 Top Fuel and 35 Funny Car victories. Don was also the first Funny Car driver to run under six seconds (5.98 at the 1975 NHRA World Finals). As a fitting tribute, NHRA has retired The Snake's driver number, 712, from further Top Fuel and Funny Car competition.

Word had it that Snake's shop near Carlsbad, California, contained some very significant cars, so naturally, it was time for a road trip. A call went out to DRAG RACER Magazine's official chauffeur, Tom McEwen, and The Mongoo$e got us there in a flash. The first order was lunch, and later, the jaw dropping began. We're talking about significant cars that carried Prudhomme into the record books, along with parts and pieces, as well as fire suits, crew uniforms, collectibles, promotional items, and literally a warehouse of personal stuff that's been preserved over the years. Welcome to Snake Racing.

Editor's note: I consider myself fortunate to have come full circle as far as drag racing is concerned. I've gone from being a statistics-quoting spectator to a dedicated T/AD crew member, and now I have lunch with many of the drivers I admired for all these years. And like I tell my best friends, "Some days it sucks to be me, but today isn't one of them." DR

One of the most famous of all, the Hot Wheels 1972 Barracuda is being rebuilt again. This Buttera chassis set the national record at 6.35 seconds during the U.S. Nationals at Indy.

The 1982 Pepsi Challenger Pontiac Trans Am is one of the most significant Funny Cars ever built. On May 23, 1982, Don became the first Funny Car driver to go 250 mph (Baton Rouge, Louisiana). In September of 1982, Prudhomme stopped the clocks with an incredible 5.637-second run at Indy - the first under 5.70, and it's still considered one of the all-time greatest runs by a Funny Car.

This view from this second floor storage area is enough to take your breath away. Which on is your personal favorite?	It's no doubt this Army Vega could have been a fan favorite, but Don told us he only ran it a few times.	This is the view from the upstairs storage area that houses office supplies and miscellaneous inventory. Among those amazing race cars is The Snake, his lovely daughter Donna, and the family's herd of dogs. The whole family adores these animals and they're an important part of the Prudhommes' daily lives.
	The Snake and The Mongoo$e get together several times a year for various autograph signings, so this was an opportune time. You think you've got stories? These guys got stories.	Your editor's personal favorite is this Plymouth Arrow - Snake's 1978 championship-winning car. Campaigned from '78 to '80, it also carried him to a second-place finish in '79, and sixth in 1980. Although Prudhomme was the first in the fives, this Arrow is responsible for carrying him to the second (Indy '79) and third-ever (Gainesville '80) runs in the five-second range.
	Snake shows us one of several fire suits in his collection. He's pretty adamant about preserving the cars in as-raced condition, along with keeping the ancillary support equipment (suits, crew uniforms, helmets, etc.) intact, as well.
Does it get any better than this? Don proudly displayed his 1976 NHRA Funny Car World Champion's jacket.	Snake at work.	This is the last Funny Car ever driven by Prudhomme. It carried him to his 38th, 39th and 40th career victories and helped Don win his first Big Bud Shootout. This bullet also took home seven Number One Qualifier awards.